In a move that has shocked many in the firearms community, the White House has quietly confirmed plans to merge the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). As first reported by Guns.com journalist Chris Eger, the confirmation was found buried deep in the 1,224-page Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Supplement Appendix – on page 618, to be exact. The document states the merger aims to “eliminate violent crime” and “address both drug and gun crimes” through a newly combined agency.
Though rumors of such a merger have circulated since March, this marks the first official signal that the Biden administration intends to follow through. The justification? Efficiency. But many Second Amendment advocates say that’s just the cover story. Beneath the surface, they warn, is a proposal that could balloon enforcement powers while steamrolling constitutional protections.
Combining Budgets, Weapons, and Manpower
As noted in both Eger’s article and a breakdown video by Armed Attorneys hosts Emily Taylor and Richard Hayes, the DEA is already a financial and tactical giant. With a $3.8 billion budget, more than double that of the ATF, and roughly twice the number of employees, the DEA would instantly become the dominant force in this merger.
Gun Owners of America (GOA) has also weighed in. In a public statement quoted by Eger, GOA warned, “Merging is NOT abolishing, it’s a DANGEROUS Trojan Horse.” GOA outlined that such a merger would triple ATF’s budget, add four times the number of tactical units, and create a super agency with over 10,000 new personnel. That’s not just a reshuffle – it’s a power grab.
Regulatory Work Could Get Lost – Or Worse, Militarized
One overlooked issue raised by Guns.com is how this merger would affect ATF’s regulatory side – the side that handles gun manufacturers, dealers, and compliance paperwork. It’s unclear whether the DEA, historically focused on criminal investigations, would take over those duties. If not, who would? And what happens if they do?
Taylor and Hayes echoed this concern. Hayes noted that DEA agents, trained to pursue violent drug cartels, could now be tasked with enforcing gun laws, such as checking whether a gun barrel is 16 inches long. “I’d much rather go up against ATF in court than DEA,” Hayes said plainly. That says a lot about just how intimidating the new hybrid agency might become.
A Bigger Hammer for Future Administrations
Richard Hayes also brought up an unsettling point: What happens when a future administration, unfriendly to gun rights, takes control of this mega-agency? The Biden administration may say the focus is on cartels and border crime for now, but that mission can shift overnight.
GOA’s Ben Sanderson explained it vividly in his Minuteman Moment video. Under a Biden-like president, this merged agency could use DEA’s powerful surveillance tools, developed over five decades of counter-drug operations, against law-abiding gun owners. “Imagine all that intel being used to track down pistol brace owners,” he said. “That’s not theoretical. That’s very real.”
Fast and Furious Still Haunts This Conversation
One of the most chilling reminders comes from history. In their video, Taylor and Hayes brought up Operation Fast and Furious – the failed Obama-era plan that involved the ATF and DEA allowing firearms to fall into cartel hands, hoping to trace them later. Instead, many of those guns vanished and were later used in deadly crimes, including the killing of a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Taylor warned, “Nobody was really held accountable for that,” and questioned what could happen if the same agencies are given even more power and less oversight. “Just look at what we got last time they teamed up,” added Sanderson. That cautionary tale should make any lawmaker pause.
Accountability Could Disappear Overnight
Another concern raised by Gun Owners of America is oversight. If the ATF is absorbed into the larger DEA, Congress may have a harder time holding the new agency accountable. Sanderson pointed to the beginning of the Trump administration, when anti-gun bureaucrats like Marvin Richardson and Pamela Hicks were removed from the ATF. That kind of reform could be impossible in a larger agency with broader responsibilities and different priorities.
Sanderson argued that if someone excels in fighting cartels, they might be protected from dismissal, even if they’re simultaneously pushing extreme gun control policies. That political shield is a major concern for anyone who values transparency.
Blurring the Line Between Crime and Rights
Combining the ATF and DEA not only centralizes power, it confuses the mission. As Sanderson explained, the DEA is designed to crack down on illegal drugs, an inherently criminal activity. The ATF, in theory, regulates a constitutionally protected industry. Mixing those two could make lawful gun ownership look like a criminal offense by association.
This isn’t just a branding problem – it’s a mindset issue. The merged agency would likely treat guns the same way it treats heroin: something to be seized, controlled, and suppressed.
Merging Isn’t Abolishing – It’s Reinforcing
Many gun owners have long called for the abolition of the ATF. But this merger doesn’t get rid of the agency – it just gives it more firepower. As Taylor pointed out, abolishing the ATF doesn’t erase gun laws from the books. Someone will still enforce those laws. And now, that someone might have DEA’s backing, funding, and tech.
“Kill the ATF and you get mini-ATFs everywhere,” Taylor warned. “This merger is worse – it creates one mega-ATF.” That’s a key distinction. It’s not a dismantling. It’s a rebranding, with more power behind it than ever before.
The Trojan Horse Is Rolling In
Here’s where things get a little eerie. Every reason the administration gives – efficiency, resource sharing, combating cartels – sounds logical at first. But the merger hides something bigger. It changes the culture of gun regulation. A softer ATF, one trying to reform its image, would vanish. In its place? A militarized DEA with no public-facing tone of moderation.
The merger is like setting your home thermostat on “mild” and then replacing it with a flamethrower. Sure, both regulate temperature – but one burns everything down in the process.
“Cool Mom” ATF Was Just a Phase
Recently, the ATF has made efforts to appear less aggressive. They’ve backed off zero-tolerance policies and even told some FFL holders to reapply after past revocations. But as Taylor said, those reforms are fragile. “Lord only knows who’s going to be in charge” after the merger, she warned. It’s very likely the so-called “Cool Mom ATF” phase is over.
And if the new parent is the DEA? Well, it doesn’t look like they’ll be bringing cookies and a warm smile to your FFL inspection.
The Fight Isn’t Over Yet
For now, the merger is just a proposal tucked away in the FY2026 budget documents. But the warning sirens are loud and clear. Guns.com, Armed Attorneys, and Gun Owners of America all agree: This is a terrible move for lawful gun owners. It’s not a step forward. It’s a leap into unchecked enforcement backed by billions in funding and years of surveillance training.
Ben Sanderson closed his video by calling on citizens to contact their senators and demand action. He’s right – because if this merger goes through quietly, the damage to the Second Amendment could last for decades.
Watch Closely, Speak Loudly
What’s happening here isn’t a bureaucratic tweak. It’s a fundamental change to how federal power handles firearms in America. And it’s being packaged with just enough “public safety” buzzwords to sneak past most people’s radar. But this isn’t about stopping drug lords – it’s about setting up a system that can target gun owners under the same rules.
If there’s ever been a time to pay attention, this is it. Because the ATF might be going away, but what’s coming in its place could be much worse.
A former park ranger and wildlife conservationist, Lisa’s passion for survival started with her deep connection to nature. Raised on a small farm in northern Wisconsin, she learned how to grow her own food, raise livestock, and live off the land. Lisa is our dedicated Second Amendment news writer and also focuses on homesteading, natural remedies, and survival strategies. Lisa aims to help others live more sustainably and prepare for the unexpected.